[Federal Register: February 15, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 31)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 7483-7485]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe00-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018-AF67
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reopening of the
Comment Period on the Proposed Rule To Remove the Northern Populations
of the Tidewater Goby From the List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), pursuant to
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), provide notice of
the reopening of the comment period for the proposed delisting of the
northern populations of the tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi)
from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife. The comment period
has been reopened in response to new information regarding tidewater
goby marine dispersal. This proposal would remove the northern
populations of the Tidewater goby from protection under the Act.
[[Page 7484]]
DATES: Comments from all interested parties must be received by March
31, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and other materials concerning this
proposal to Ms. Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, California 93003. You may
inspect comments and materials received, by appointment, during normal
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl Benz at the above address;
telephone 805/644-1766; facsimile 805/644-3958.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The tidewater goby was first described in 1857 by Girard as Gobius
newberryi. Gill (1862) erected the genus Eucyclogobius for this
distinctive species. The majority of scientists have accepted this
classification (Bailey et al. 1970; Miller and Lea 1972; Hubbs et al.
1979; Robins et al. 1991; Eschmeyer et al. 1983). No other species have
been described in this genus. A few older works and Ginsburg (1945)
placed the tidewater goby and the eight related eastern Pacific species
into the genus Lepidogobius. This classification includes the currently
recognized genera Lepidogobius, Clevelandia, Ilypnus, Quietula, and
Eucyclogobius. Birdsong et al. (1988) coined the informal Chasmichthys
species group, recognizing the phyletic relationship of the eastern
Pacific group with species in the northwestern Pacific.
Crabtree's (1985) allozyme work on tidewater gobies from 12
localities throughout the range showed fixed allelic differences at the
extreme northern (Lake Earl, Humboldt Bay) and southern (Canada de Agua
Caliente, Winchester Canyon, and San Onofre Lagoon) ends of the range.
The northern and southern populations are genetically distinct from
each other and from the central populations sampled. The more centrally
distributed populations are relatively similar to each other (Brush
Creek, Estero Americano, Corcoran Lagoon, Arroyo de Corral, Morro Bay,
Santa Ynez River, and Jalama Creek). Crabtree's results indicated that
there is a low level of gene flow (movement of individuals) between the
populations sampled in the northern, central, and southern parts of the
range. However, Lafferty et al. (in prep.) point out that Crabtree's
sites were widely distributed geographically, and may not be indicative
of gene flow on more local levels.
Recently, David Jacobs (University of California, Los Angeles,
Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution, in litt. 1998)
initiated an analysis of mitochondrial genetic material from tidewater
goby populations ranging from Humboldt to San Diego counties.
Preliminary results indicate the southern goby population separated
from other goby populations along the coast long ago. This southernmost
population probably began diverging from the remainder of the gobies in
excess of 100,000 years ago. Furthermore, gobies from the Point
Conception area are more closely related to gobies from Humboldt County
than they are to the gobies analyzed in San Diego and Orange counties.
The tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) is a small, elongate,
grey-brown fish with dusky fins not exceeding 50 millimeters (mm) (2
inches (in.)) standard length (SL). The tidewater goby is a short-lived
species, apparently having an annual life cycle (Irwin and Soltz 1984;
Swift et al. 1997). At the time of the listing, the species was
believed to have more stringent habitat requirements and to be less
likely to disperse successfully than recent research indicates (see
below). These factors, coupled with the short life span of the
tidewater goby, were believed to make most tidewater goby populations
vulnerable to extirpation by human activities. At the time of the
listing, we believed that approximately 50 percent of the documented
populations had been extirpated. However, in spite of the many factors
affecting coastal wetlands, recent survey data have demonstrated a less
than 25 percent permanent loss of the known tidewater goby populations
(Ambrose et al. 1993; Swift et al. 1994; Lafferty et al. 1996; C.
Chamberlain, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arcata, California, in
litt. 1997; Lafferty 1997; Swift et al. 1997).
The tidewater goby inhabits coastal brackish water habitats
entirely within California. Within the range of the tidewater goby,
these conditions occur in two relatively distinct situations: (1) The
upper edge of tidal bays, such as Humboldt, Tomales, and San Francisco
bays near the entrance of freshwater tributaries, and (2) the coastal
lagoons formed at the mouths of small to large coastal rivers, streams,
or seasonally wet canyons, along most of the length of California. Few
well-authenticated records of this species are known from marine
environments outside of enclosed coastal lagoons and estuaries (Swift
et al. 1989). This may be due to the lack of collection efforts at
appropriate times (i.e., following storm events or breachings when
gobies are flushed from the estuaries and lagoons). Historically, the
species ranged from Tillas Slough (mouth of the Smith River, Del Norte
County) near the Oregon border south to Agua Hedionda Lagoon (northern
San Diego County). The tidewater goby is often found in waters of
relatively low salinities (around 10 parts per thousand (ppt)) in the
uppermost brackish zone of larger estuaries and coastal lagoons.
However, the fish can tolerate a wide range of salinities (Swift et al.
1989, 1997; Worcester 1992; K. R. Worcester, California Department of
Fish and Game (CDFG), in litt. 1996; Worcester and Lea 1996), and is
frequently found throughout lagoons. Tidewater gobies regularly range
upstream into fresh water, and downstream into water of up to 28 ppt
salinity (Worcester 1992; Swenson 1995), although specimens have been
collected at salinities as high as 42 ppt (Swift et al. 1989). The
species' tolerance of high salinities (up to 60 ppt for varying time
periods) likely enables it to withstand the marine environment,
allowing it to colonize or reestablish in lagoons and estuaries
following flood events (Swift et al. 1989; K. R. Worcester, in litt.
1996; Worcester and Lea 1996; Lafferty et al. in prep.)
The life history of tidewater gobies is linked to the annual cycles
of the coastal lagoons and estuaries (Swift et al. 1989, 1994; Swenson
1994, 1995). Water in estuaries, lagoons and bays is at its lowest
salinity during the winter and spring as a result of precipitation and
runoff. During this time, high runoffs cause the sandbars at the mouths
of the lagoons to breach, allowing mixing of the relatively fresh
estuarine and lagoon waters with seawater. This annual building and
breaching of the sandbars is part of the normal dynamics of the systems
in which the tidewater goby has evolved (Zedler 1982; Lafferty and
Alstatt 1995; Heasly et al. 1997). The time of sandbar closure varies
greatly between systems and years, and typically occurs from spring to
late summer. Later in the year, occasional waves washing over the
sandbars can introduce some sea water, but good mixing often keeps the
lagoon water at a few parts per thousand salinity or less. Summer
salinity in the lagoon depends upon the amount of freshwater inflow at
the time of sandbar formation (Zedler 1982, Heasly et al. 1997).
Males begin digging breeding burrows 75 to 100 mm (3 to 4 in.)
deep, usually in relatively unconsolidated, clean, coarse sand
averaging 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) in diameter, in April or May (Swift et al.
1989; Swenson 1994, 1995). Swenson (1995) has shown that tidewater
gobies prefer this substrate in the laboratory,
[[Page 7485]]
but also found tidewater gobies digging breeding burrows in mud in the
wild (Swenson 1994). Inter-burrow distances range from about 5 to 275
centimeters (cm) (2 to 110 in.) (Swenson 1995). Females lay 100 to 1000
eggs per clutch, averaging 400 eggs/clutch, with clutch size depending
on the size of both the female and the male. Females can lay more than
one clutch of eggs over their lifespan, with captive females spawning 6
to 12 times (Swenson 1995). Wild females may spawn less frequently due
to fluctuations in food supply and other environmental conditions, but
the species clearly has a high reproductive potential, enabling
populations to recover quickly under suitable conditions. Male gobies
remain in the burrow to guard the eggs that are attached to sand grains
in the walls of the burrow. Males also spawn more than once per season
(Swenson 1995), and although they can have more than one clutch in
their burrow, presumably from different females (Swift et al. 1989),
Swenson (1995) found that males accepted only one female per brood
period. Males frequently go for at least a few weeks without feeding,
and this probably contributes to a mid-summer mortality often noted in
populations (Swift et al. 1989; Swenson 1994, 1995). Reproduction peaks
during spring to mid-summer, late April or May to July, and can
continue into November or December depending on the seasonal
temperature and rainfall. Reproduction sometimes increases slightly in
the fall (Swift et al. 1989; Camm Swift, Department of Biology, Loyola
Marymount University, pers. comm. 1995). Reproduction takes place when
temperatures are between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (60 to 65 degrees
Fahrenheit) and at salinities of 0 to 25 ppt (Swift et al. 1989;
Swenson 1994, 1995). Typically, winter rains and cold weather interrupt
spawning, but in some warm years reproduction may occur all year
(Goldberg 1977; Wang 1984). Goldberg (1977) showed by histological
analysis that females have the potential to lay eggs all year in
southern California, but this rarely has been documented. Length-
frequency data from southern and central California (Swift et al. 1989;
Swenson 1994, 1995) and analysis of otoliths from central California
populations (Swift et al. 1997) indicate that tidewater gobies are an
annual species and typically live 1 year or less.
We published a proposed rule, with additional background
information, to remove the northern populations of the tidewater goby
from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife on June 24, 1999
(64 FR 33816). The original comment period closed on August 23, 1999.
Significant new information regarding marine dispersal of tidewater
gobies was brought to our attention late in the comment period, with
additional information provided since the closing of that comment
period. We require time to fully evaluate the information and to
solicit further peer review of this proposal. We will solicit the
opinions of appropriate and independent specialists regarding the data,
assumptions, and supportive information presented for the proposed
delisting of the tidewater goby per our Interagency Cooperative Policy
for Peer Review in Endangered Species Act Activities (59 FR 34270).
Public Comments Solicited
It is our intent that any final action resulting from this proposal
will be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we solicit
comments or suggestions from the public, other concerned governmental
agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested
party concerning this proposed rule. Our practice is to make comments,
including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public
review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may
request that we withhold their home address from the rulemaking record,
which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be
circumstances in which we would withhold from the rulemaking record a
respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold
your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the
beginning of your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous
comments. We will make all submissions from organizations or
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available
for public inspection in their entirety. All comments, including
written and e-mail, must be received in our Ventura Fish and Wildlife
Office by March 31, 2000. We particularly seek comments concerning:
(1) Biological, commercial trade, or other relevant data
concerning any threat (or lack thereof) to this species;
(2) Additional information concerning the range, distribution,
and population size of this species; and
(3) Current or planned activities in the range of this species
and their possible impacts on this species.
The final decision on this proposal to delist the northern
population of the tidewater goby will take into consideration the
comments and any additional information we receive, and such
communications may lead to a final regulation that differs from this
proposal.
This rule does not include any collections of information that
require approval by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
National Environmental Policy Act
We have determined that an Environmental Assessment or
Environmental Impact Statement, as defined under the authority of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, need not be prepared in
connection with regulations adopted pursuant to section 4(a) of the
Act. We published a notice outlining our reasons for this determination
in the Federal Register on October 25, 1983 (48 FR 49244).
References Cited
A complete list of all references cited herein is available upon
request from the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES
section).
Authors: The primary authors of this proposed rule are Grace
McLaughlin and Carl Benz, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office (805/644-
1766).
Authority: The authority of this action is the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Elizabeth H. Stevens,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-3524Filed 2-14-00; 8:45 am]
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